Side-Lined
by Loopstagirl
Summary: Just because he wasn't on the rescue didn't mean he couldn't help.


_Disclaimer: I own nothing, all rights belong to their respective owners._

 _Another very belated birthday present - happy late birthday, Sam! Hope you like it!_

* * *

Hearing Scott enter the kitchen, Gordon lay perfectly still as he waited. He knew where his brother would be heading and it only took a moment before he heard the fridge door open.

"GORDON!"

It was one of his oldest tricks in the book; the door rigged with something to fall when Scott opened it. But he hadn't tried it for a long time and it was rewarding to know that it was still effective now as when he had first mastered the tricks years ago. He allowed himself a chuckle, but Gordon knew laughing more than that would backfire and he would be the one paying the price.

Scott stomped through, his hair dripping wet as he stared down at his brother.

"What?" Gordon said. His expression was one of innocence. "I'm wounded, remember? You can't blame it on me when I'm not allowed to move." There was a tinge of bitterness in his tone as he gestured down at himself. He had known reaching that fraction too far at the rescue wouldn't end well. But he had managed to reach the woman and pull her out, so he knew he would do the same thing again if he had to. He just hoped doing it a second time wouldn't leave him with a torn stomach muscle and all attempts at living – even breathing at times – resulting in pain.

"Don't give me that, I know it was you."

"But you'll never find out for sure," Gordon said gravely. The twinkle in his eye revealed what he was really thinking. "For any form of torture will have Virgil on your back faster than you can blink. Do you know how long it's taken him and Brains to get me to sit still? He won't appreciate it if you undo all his hard work."

"Hard work, my ass." Still, Scott seemed to realise there wasn't a lot he could do about it and skulked his way from the room again, dripping water as he went. Gordon watched him go and then sighed, his mirth draining away.

"Could have kept me company," he muttered to nobody. The truth was, being injured didn't suit Gordon. He had gone through enough times being forced to lie still while his body tried to heal itself. He didn't like having to do it again and he was nothing short of bored. He was barely allowed to move and the pool was so firmly off limits Gordon was surprised his brothers hadn't drained it just to stop him attempting it. Placing a hand on his stomach, he breathed for a moment as he tried to work out whether it felt as bad now as it did earlier. Deciding he was on the mend, Gordon gingerly swung his legs over the edge of the couch and started the long process of sitting up.

He was still telling himself he was feeling better when he made it upright. But he knew the fact that he was panting and his hands had clenched into a cushion as a way of controlling the pain was telling him otherwise. It wasn't enough to stop him though. Breathing deeply through his nose, Gordon braced himself to stand.

Just as he got his weight onto his feet, the klaxon went off and Gordon jolted in surprise, slipping back onto the sofa just as Scott and Virgil entered the room.

"You better not have been trying to move," Virgil hissed as Scott connected through to John. As his brother's image came to life, their father arrived. His concerned gaze flickered over Gordon but then his attention was taken by his older sons as John began reporting the situation at hand. Scott disappeared through his lamps while Gordon was still working on his argument about why it was crucial that he was allowed to go as well but as Virgil made to move, he held up a hand.

"You'll need me on this one," he said quietly. If this had been any other day, he knew full well that his father would have ordered him out into the field with his brothers. It was a rescue type that he was used to and knew he could handle.

"Not this time, Gords." There was regret in Virgil's voice and he dodged past Gordon's outstretched arm. "Alan is coming."

"But…"

"But nothing. You're no good to me out there."

Virgil disappeared and a movement out of the corner of his eye made Gordon realise that Alan had been in the room for the whole thing. Glancing at his younger brother, Gordon sighed. There was the usual excitement shining out of his eyes but his expression was worried.

"He won't wait for you, Al. Go."

Alan seemed to be waiting for Gordon's permission before he scurried after Virgil. Sitting back and letting the sofa take his weight again, Gordon barely realised that his hand was back over his stomach and there was an expression of pure misery on his face. It was bad enough not being allowed on a rescue, but one where they were taking Four and he knew Alan was going to have to pilot her made him feel slightly sick. He watched in silence as his father gave permission for the 'birds to launch but then the man crossed the room and gently squeezed his shoulder.

"It won't be forever, Gordon," he said softly. As he left to no doubt get his usual cup of coffee he had to have in his hand while his sons were on a rescue, Gordon looked around the empty room.

" _This is hardly the first time you've sat one out."_ John was still live and Gordon jolted slightly as he realised he wasn't as alone as he thought. He shrugged.

"First time for a while because of an injury."

" _It happens to us all."_

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

" _You'll just have to – wait, gotta go. Scott's there."_

Although his picture remained active, John fell silent and Gordon went back to looking around the room aimlessly. His father returned but didn't say anything, focusing on the rescue at hand. Gordon kept quiet – he knew now was not the time to complain about being side-lined (especially as deep down he knew he wouldn't be able to cope with the rescue). But before long, he found himself listening to the communications that were passing between his brothers and slowly began edging forward on the couch again.

" _The best course of action has to be Alan taking the wider passageway. The water is faster there but he has more manoeuvring room. The leak seems to come from a central point further down so this has to be the best route in…"_

"No." Gordon surprised himself when the word slipped from his mouth. His hands were gripping the edge again only this time it was nothing to do with the pain. "He needs to take the narrower tunnel."

" _Gordon? How do you know? There is less water movement down the narrower one, he'll have to use the thrusters and risk the walls collapsing…"_

"They'll hold." Gordon had moved as far as he dared without causing himself pain. One glance to John and his brother knew what he wanted, sending through a map of the tunnels being discovered and allowing it to hover in a 3d form in the middle of the lounge. Gordon's eyes traced the routes being discussed and he nodded.

"He needs to take the narrow one."

" _But…"_

"Scott. Listen to me. This is the same area that we went to last year, don't you remember? It was a few miles on but the network of tunnels are the same. I had to go in. The tunnel might be wider at the mouth but it gets a lot narrower. The force of the water will rock Four and unless Alan has got iron control – which he hasn't so don't pretend otherwise – Four will spin and stick. It happened to me and I only just stopped it crashing into the rocks."

There was silence for a long moment.

" _He's right."_ Virgil's voice was barely audible but it was clear he was standing next to Scott, overhearing everything that was being said. " _Nearly gave me a heart attack when he reported being out of control. And that was Gordon. I'm not hearing it from Alan as well – Gordon's right, the kid doesn't have the same control. He'll have to go to the right."_

" _But…_ "

"Listen to your brother, Scott." Jeff surprised Gordon when he spoke, but he gave his son a warm smile. "He knows what he is talking about even if he is here not there. You listen to John's advice from a distance, now do the same with Gordon."

Scott didn't answer for a moment and Gordon knew he would be weighing up what his readings were telling him compared to what his instincts were reporting. Eventually, there came a long sigh down the line and Gordon heard him informing Alan that he needed to change course and take the narrower tunnel. There was a pause, then Scott snapping for Alan to just do as he was told and get on with it.

Gordon settled back against the couch with a grin on his face. It wasn't often he was given the chance to prove Scott wrong, especially not when he wasn't even there. But he knew that for now, both his brother and his 'bird would be safe by taking the smaller tunnel. He just hoped Alan's steering was up to standard for if there was a single scratch on his 'bird when they got home… Gordon wondered if Virgil would let him do a check or whether was considered too much movement when they got back.

"Well done, Gordon."

Gordon glanced up and grinned at his dad. "Not getting my paintwork damaged."

"Of course not." There was a twinkle in the man's eye and Gordon knew the rescue didn't involve the same level of danger as some of the others. On those days, his father's grip on the mug in his hand would be deathly. With Alan navigating a route that had been approved by the expert in the area, all they had to do was wait.

"It just sucks sitting up here rather than being down there," Gordon admitted. He knew his expression had given away how he felt about not being allowed on the rescue. "Especially when I know this will be stressing Al out and I could have done it in a blink of an eye."

"Just don't hold it over him… too much."

"Can't make any promises." Gordon knew he wouldn't though. After all, there would be another time when it was him out of his comfort zone and needing one of his brother's to talk him through what needed to be done. For a moment, he let his thoughts drift to the rescue and what would be happening. If Alan had maintained a good speed, then he should be almost at the leak. Would Virgil have reminded him what he needed to do in order to seal it? Or would Scott talk him through the process as he was doing it?

Gordon suddenly pulled out his phone and started playing a game. He had done all he could, it was up to his brothers now. The more he thought about it, the more paranoid he was that something was going to go wrong. Pausing, he glanced at his dad to see the man staring out of the window, his gaze not settling on anything. This was what it was like every single time a call came through. Gordon shuddered – he was not the type to sit around waiting when he knew he could be out there helping. At least when he didn't go on rescues usually he knew it was because they didn't need him rather than being put out of action.

Forcing his mind back to his phone, Gordon didn't notice as he gradually began to slump. Even the phone falling from his grasp and clattering to the floor didn't wake him as he gave into his body's demands to get some rest in order to heal. He didn't hear his father pick the phone back up, nor feel the blanket being draped over him.

He must have been more exhausted than he had thought for when his eyes next opened, Scott was sitting the other side of the room, a mug in his hand and his feet up on the table.

"When did you get back?" Gordon blurted out, causing his brother to start a little as he hadn't realised the younger man was waking up. Scott smirked.

"About an hour ago. You slept straight through our landing."

"Is that even possible?"

"Apparently so, you just did it. It's been a tough few days for you, kid."

"I haven't done anything," Gordon protested. He gestured to where there was still a blanket draped over him and he was sprawled comfortably across the sofa. "Apart from sit around."

"Being in pain is exhausting." There was an understanding smile on Scott's face as if he knew how much it was frustrating Gordon that he was stuck. Gordon grabbed a cushion and moved his arm to throw it at his brother.

"That's going to hurt like hell if you do that." Another voice said and Gordon looked around to see Virgil wandering in. For once, he wasn't asked how he was feeling. Instead, Virgil just moved across to his piano, lifting the lid and running his fingers lovingly over it, occasionally pressing down just hard enough to make a noise.

"It will be worth it though," Gordon said. Virgil glanced between him and Scott.

"How about I do it for you?"

"Be my guest." It wasn't often Virgil sided with Gordon rather than Scott and the younger brother could only watch in amusement as Scott put down his mug in preparation. Virgil wasted no time, grabbing a cushion and throwing it at the oldest brother as hard as he could. Scott rolled his eyes and Virgil responded by chucking another one.

"So," Gordon waited until missiles had stopped flying. "What did he do to deserve that?"

"He didn't listen to you," Virgil said calmly, sitting back down again. Gordon gaped at his brother. He understood why Scott had hesitated – they tended to trust what their instruments told them and sending Alan down the wider tunnel would have made sense if Gordon hadn't known better. But for Virgil to step in and take Gordon's side in such a way…

As Virgil looked over, Gordon nodded at him. The sound of the piano filled the air as Scott picked up his mug again and carried on daydreaming. Gordon rested back against the cushions again and before he could stop himself, found that he was dozing back off. He might have been the active type and being hurt was causing him no end of frustration. But as he actually let himself relax, Gordon decided that maybe now and again, stopping wasn't so bad after all.


End file.
